Page 147 of Tempt

I feel Eissa rumble behind me, and I can feel his tender caress against the edges of my mind.

I like him.

I do too.

He’s different.

He is. It is why he’s been hidden away. Thank you for being kind to him.

‘It is not too much. You can have.’

Vyrian’s lips part and then his tongue flicks out, and he tastes it, making a face before gingerly putting both coins into the pocket of his tunic.

Then he goes through the rest of the bag, marveling over each item he pulls out. The way he’s excited over the most mundane things makes me want to ask Eissa to bring back other items for him to enjoy. Maybe when Dante comes to visit, I can ask him to bring me a care package. One for myself and one for Vyrian. It doesn’t even have to be expensive things. I bet Dante could find items like buttons and screws, bits of string and fabric, and Vyrian would hoard them like golden treasures.

Eissa must sense my thoughts because he places his hand over my heart and whispers back his agreement. Anything to make you happy, my Luca.

But don’t you know, my Eissa. You make me happy.

When Vyrian eventually leaves, his pocket full of things I can easily part with—not my lip balm; I need that—but things like a puzzle piece I’d been carrying around, a broken pencil that I never got rid of, and a bit of lint, I find myself yawning.

The zitha helped heal me, but I’m still exhausted from the rut.

Eissa must sense it because he picks me up and carries me to his bedroom.

‘You must sleep,’ he says softly as he tucks me under a soft blanket. ‘Your body is so fragile. It needs time to rest.’

‘Can you stay with me?’

‘Yes. I will never leave you again.’

I am nearly vibrating with excitement for who’s about to appear in Eissa’s small cottage. It’s been so long, forever it feels.

And when my brother steps through the front door, a heavy cloak over his shoulders, I nearly sob at the sight. My arms wind around him, pulling him in for a bruising hug. I can feel his grunt vibrate through his chest, and when I pull back, I see that his eyes are wet.

‘I missed you,’ he signs, swiping at his eyes, and then he says it again.

We hug once more, holding onto one another tightly for long minutes before we finally pull away. Eissa and Rathyn are standing nearby, their heads touching as they speak to one another, Everest lingering by their side, Rathyn’s tail wrapped around his thigh.

But when we part, Everest moves, yanking me in for a warm embrace before pulling back.

‘You look so much better. Eissa has been taking care of you?’

I peer over at him, feeling something affectionate wind around me, and I grow warm.

‘Yes.’ I feel my blush at the image he sends through my mind, of him pushing his cocks into me, breeding me.

I see the sly grin Dante and Everest give each other, and I roll my eyes.

‘Shut up,’ I sign, but they just shrug, grabbing onto my hands and pulling me toward one of the sofas.

‘This is a cool place,’ Dante says, looking around. ‘But the furniture is kind of all over the place.’

‘That’s because of him,’ I say, pointing to Gerald, who is rounding a corner, his antennae swiveling this way and that.

‘Oh fuck!’ Dante shouts with his hand, his legs pulling up onto the cushion he’s sitting on. ‘What is that?’

‘A kradun. He’s very chaotic, but sweet. His name is Gerald.’